Shame on you for publishing that article about Ginger!!! Hasn’t the family suffered enough without someone posting what may or may not be the sordid and gory details of what happened to her? If her mom sees this, or any of her siblings, it will be like a knife to their hearts, as it is to mine. This is beyond coldhearted. You make me ill!

Name Withheld by Requestvia email

Football Eightball

Don Bauder’s “Sportugal” story about the Chargers made some good points (“City Lights,” June 3). Why is the City of San Diego tolerating losing $17.1 million to the Chargers every year? If the Chargers were really interested in the San Diego area, they should renegotiate the contract with the City to eliminate the $17.1 million annual loss. The Chargers have complete disregard for the people of San Diego. They are only interested in making a buck — as are most private businesses.

If the City of San Diego cannot break even leasing a 43-year-old stadium, can you imagine the fiscal calamity that would result in the development of a new $1 billion stadium?

While I really enjoy watching the Chargers play, I can do without them; and I believe the City of San Diego can do without them. Tourists do not come to San Diego to watch the Chargers play (ten times per year). They come for the weather, the beaches, the zoo, the Wild Animal Park, Balboa Park, SeaWorld, Seaport Village, La Jolla Cove, and the Gaslamp Quarter, which are available 365 days per year.

I compare the Chargers to drugs: while they may make us feel good initially, they will eventually have a negative impact on our financial health.

Ron HarrisSan Diego

$@* Patrick

I would like to express my total disappointment in the article that was written by Patrick Daugherty in “Sporting Box” on June 3. In paragraph four, in the second column, Patrick wrote about Tiger’s “$@*%@ countless women.” I feel Patrick went as low in his writing as Tiger did in his language, as sin is sin. So I’ve lost a little respect for your Reader. The Reader is read by young and old, and that needs to be considered when doing your articles.

Brenda HicksSpring Valley

Kayak Armada

About the cover story “Influence Paddling” (May 27): it undoubtedly brought a long-overdue spotlight on Kayakgate. It, however, failed to direct attention to the real problem, the one that’s festering in the water, not on quaint Avenida de la Playa. Be that as it may, the story aptly tells of the laughable unfolding madness that is the kayak industry ensconced in La Jolla Shores, kayak hawkers elbowing for sidewalk space, market shares, and the mayor’s ear to stave off possible regulation of this cottage industry (similar to how the pedicab industry fought and lost their battle against eventual regulations in the wake of a well-publicized tragedy).

What unfortunately merits more attention than it received in the story is the disturbing madness unfolding daily at the Cove, once a sublime marine park now under siege by flotillas of plastic neon-colored jetsam, aka kayaks.

The cover photo of two kayakers dressed in helmets and life jackets, as if a white-water-rapids experience had been promised to them back on Avenida de la Playa, captures poignantly what is amiss in this discourse. Simply put, the snorkelers are the ones at risk, the ones vulnerable to a clumsy kayaker’s oar. From experience I can say that I’ve had a few close calls with kayaks and oars.

These kayaks are here to stay; they’re as much a part of the Cove as the seals are of the Children’s Pool. What’s more, it’s silly to think the Cove, a local treasure, wouldn’t someday eventually succumb to exploitation (again, witness the Children’s Pool). However, what we can hope for is that responsible regulatory action be taken to curb the size of the flotillas before someone is seriously hurt, which, in that case, the unregulated party will surely be over.

Name Withheld by Requestvia email

Good For You, Frank

I really liked the article “How the Jetsons Showed Me My Brother Was in Heaven” (Feature Story, May 27). I only knew Jeff slightly, having worked with him once, but I, too, was amazed at the explosive energy and zest for life this man displayed. His pain must have been great indeed. Please let his brother Frank know I am happy to hear he landed in a good place.

Steven Moschakvia email

You Insensitive Twerps

I am so disgusted by whoever wrote “Chub Scrub” (“S.D. on the Q.T.,” May 27). I am a counselor, and I work with people who struggle with weight issues. The pain, shame, and humiliation people feel due to body size and their behavior with food is beyond your imagination (obviously).

We all seek relief from stress, loneliness, frustration, insecurities, and beyond. We all need tools to deal with life and our feelings. Unfortunately, most people turn to unproductive and/or harmful “tools” such as smoking, drinking, drugs, sex, shopping, gambling, TV, video games, excessive exercise, etc. Clients come to me with so little hope that they can ever break free from their behavior and feeling not good enough. My job is to help people gain healthier responses to life’s challenges while learning how to take better care of themselves from the inside out.

I hope you get the help you need for your problems with arrogance, lack of compassion, and whatever you have going on inside your troubled mind and tiny heart.

Linda Hill Scherillovia email

“Almost Factual” — Is It Factual?

Is “Almost Factual News” for real? Is there really a coalition of people funded by the board of tourism trying to get rid of overweight people from our beaches (“Chub Scrub,” “S.D. on the Q.T.,” May 27)? It would be faster to round up the “perfect” people than to try to force “normal” people to small areas where they should be programmed to lose weight.

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Comments

I heard that San Diego is hosting "The Great American Smoke-In", sponsored by Philip-Morris.

To be held at the Little Sheep Country Christian Pre-School, it's goal is to teach young children that the consumption of tobacco products can be an enjoyable experience at any age. Cocktails and beef sliders will be served. All ages welcome.

Yes, Ms. Grant, that's next Tuesday, I believe. I wish I could attend. I've been trying to get my children to start smoking since they were young. I'm looking for tips to use on the grand children. I'm sorry I'm going to miss that, but I'll be at a conference.

Of note, the conference is sponsored by Democratic Health Care Reform Committee. We were hoping that President Obama himself might find time to attend (we wish), but we understand that the assistant manager of the Under-Secretary of Health will be sent in his stead. What will be discussed is the proposal to amend to health care bill to include a plan for a Cholesterol Offset Program (COP). Details of the proposal include a cap on cholesterol levels, whereby people that are under the level deemed as healthy by government health regulators may sell offsets to people that are over the acceptable level, with a 17% Federal Tax on the offsets. Further details of the COP program will be revealed at the conference.

For all interested in the conference, it is next Tuesday at six in the evening in the banquet room at Jack's Pork Shack (between McDonald's and Burger King) in Barrio Logan.

You will be missed, refried, but I will be sure to obtain a copy of any instructional material provided for you. There will be a live-video link available after the Smoke-In, which I will send to you Wednesday.

Regarding the COP, due to a scheduling conflict with the Smoke-In, I will be unable to attend, but please express my support of this wonderful proposal and gather for me any information provided, which we will exchange at the Ban on Unattractive People convention next week at Viejas. Until then...

And just where and how is this Ban on Unattractive People supposed to be enforced? Is it statewide or county by county? Are the "ugly police" going to arrest ugly people who are out before 10 p.m.? And how is California supposed to afford your new layer of bureaucracy? You are out of your minds if you are trying to pass something like this.

It's a State's Rights issue, Russ. Since the Federal Government won't do anything about the ugly people in the State of California, they've left us no choice. The State of California must take things into their own hands and deal with this issue, before there are more ugly people here than non-ugly people. Believe me, it will happen, and we have the statistics to back it up. We feel that no matter who is elected Governor of California, we will have his or her support. Both seem to be fairly good-looking candidates.

Russl, please attend the two-day conference starting Saturday. June 19th at 9:00 a.m. There will be a Q&A session after introductions to answer questions such as the ones you pose. I will tell you that the goal is to take this initiative statewide, as it is already somewhat in effect in San Diego and Southern California already. The Coaliton for Attractive People will be present to help educate attendees on the need for California to be more uniformly attractive statewide, and not just in the coastal areas.

Brava and bravo! The authors of posts 1-6 need to bust a move on Mencken's gig :)

We also need a new coalition: S-DUM, "San Diegans for Unsatirical Morality"

Brief summary of our platform:

We ask for MORE moral outrage over ironical spoofing and satirical poking of our citizens, whether fat, ugly, politically dishonest, or otherwise. This is a family-friendly town of conservative values, and the Reader needs to provide the safely unironical pap we have grown accustomed to trusting we will find in our church leaflets and free weeklies. Every man, woman, and child of San Diego deserves happy, self-evident, and unambiguous language. Join our fight, and let editors know there will be consequences for the publication that does not fall in line!